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Toddler who nearly drowned at Caesar Creek recovering

2-year-old boy  was flown to hospital  after being pulled from park lake.

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By Eric Schwartzberg and Danielle Wilson, Staff writers Updated 1:44 PM Tuesday, June 30, 2009

A 2-year-old boy who nearly drown at Caesar Creek State Park is doing well today, June 30, and probably will be released from the hospital on Wednesday, officials said.

Tim Carr, regional manager for the Cowan Lake Region, which includes Caesar Creek State Park, Little Miami State Park and Cowan Lake State Park, said the child, his mother and grandmother were swimming near the beach at about 4 p.m. Monday, June 29.

The boy wandered into the water while the family was on the beach, according to initial reports from Warren County dispatchers.

The toddler apparently was under water for 30 to 60 seconds before he was pulled out, according to Carr, who said the boy was not breathing and his face had turned a “bluish-grey” because of lack of oxygen.

The family met Russ Knepper, a law enforcement manager for the region, in a parking lot where he performed CPR on the boy, who was breathing when a medical helicopter left the ground.

“Officer Knepper’s training allowed him to do the right thing and got the child breathing again and that I think was instrumental in the saving the child’s life,” Carr said.

The child was flown by helicopter to Children’s Medical Center in Dayton.

Rescue crews responded from Wayne and Massie townships, Knepper said.

“The squads were extremely efficient and got there in a short period of time,” he said.

Knepper said it was the park’s first reported near drowning of the season.

Staff W

riter Marie Rossiter contributed to this report.

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